Bizarre survey o' the day

"If you had a son who wanted to be a priest, would you be happy or unhappy?"

Only 50% of practicing Catholics would be happy, 15% unhappy, 28% indifferent and a mouth-breathing 7% could not muster an opinion. For the overall population, the figures break 24/36/32/8

Asked what are the most important things a priest does, serving a parish followed by teaching the faith leads for practicing Catholics, then spreading the gospel, comforting the bereaved and only then giving the sacraments. Some pretty wonky theology at work there, I think. For the overall population it is comforting the bereaved followed by serving the parish.

Elsewhere, regular mass goers are les in favour of married men taking holy orders than are the backsliders - 74% /85%, likewise priests marrying (1) - 73% / 87%. As to female priests, or as they used to be known, priestesses, a majority is in favour among both the devout and the non-devout at 67% and 84%.

(1) It would be utterly remiss of me not to note that if only Father Frederick Hattersley had continued to cleave to the Mother Church we would have been spared Roy Hattersley. Ah well.